A multi-cultural wedding venue has been give the green light to open in Stockton.

Stockton Council's planning committee went against the recommendations of its own officers this week to approve the application to convert a vacant industrial building on Skinner Street into a restaurant and banqueting suite.

The venue will cater for between 50 and a maximum of 200 guests and will be family orientated, with the primary custom from the local Asian community, the committee was told.

Letters of support were received from both Stockton and Middlesbrough residents citing the benefits the proposal has to the Asian community and the town centre.

Mehoona Ameen, of the Muslim Welfare Trust, in Stockton, said: “The Muslim Trust support the application as our research shows that the Asian community are in need of a new development close to local services, with good parking facilities such as this building to meet their cultural needs.

“It is close to Stockton town centre and local community centre on Yarm Road which will benefit from this development with customers arriving from many areas to utilise the restaurant and function hall.”

Adeeb Din, from Middlesbrough, also supported the plans, saying: “There is no wedding facility for multi-cultural use since the closure of Tall Trees and Coatham Bowl, with users of such venues travelling further afield to areas such as Durham and South Shields.”

A report from Stockton’s planning officers said they had been advised “that whilst there is an existing problem across Teesside in providing venues for social occasions, particularly weddings, this is an issue for larger venues (1,000+ capacity)”.

Officers said they “considered that there are a number of alternative venues which are all capable of meeting demand for smaller numbers of people, these include venues such as Arc, the Salvation Army and the Masonic hall.” But members of the planning committee were swayed by the arguments for opening the new venue.